HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – The Elon University softball team had a doubleheader split at Hofstra on Friday afternoon, April 21, in the start of its Colonial Athletic Association series. The Phoenix won the opening game, 8-3, but saw an early lead evaporate as the Pride forced the twin bill split with a 12-9 win in game two at Bill Edwards Stadium.
 
The split pushed the Phoenix's overall record to 18-22 on the season and 11-5 in the CAA standings. Hofstra moved to 19-23 overall and 11-6 versus league opponents.
 
Game One: Elon 8, Hofstra 3
The Pride scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first. Hofstra's Chelsea Manto reached on a one-out triple and crossed home plate on a wild pitch to put the Pride up early, 1-0.
 
After a scoreless second, the Phoenix responded with a three-run top of the third. Chloe Hatzopoulos led off the frame with a double to right center before scoring on an error as Reagan Hartley reached and advanced to second on the play to tie the game at one-all. A sac bunt moved Hartley to third before she was joined on the bases by Drew Menscer on a bunt single. Another bunt single by Allee Seering loaded the bases as Claudia Penny stepped into the batter's box. The senior took a 2-0 count before she singled to left field to drive in Hartley and put the Phoenix ahead 2-1. A sacrifice fly to center by Carley Davis scored the Phoenix's third run of the inning as the Phoenix took a 3-1 advantage.
 
Elon firmly took control of the game in the top of the fifth. The Phoenix put up a five-spot in the inning with Penny and Hatzopoulos driving in four of those runs with a pair of RBI each. Hatzopolous' two-out, two-RBI triple put Elon ahead 8-1 after the top of the fifth.
 
Those would be more than enough insurance runs for the Phoenix as Hofstra attempted a late rally with a two-run bottom of the seventh. Elon finagled out of the inning to secure the game-one win by a score of 8-3.
 
The Phoenix had nine hits in the game with three players having multi-hit efforts. Hatzopoulos, Penny and Seering each had two base hits each with Penny driving in three RBI and Hatzopoulos pushing two across the dish.
 
McKenna McCard improved to 6-3 on the season with the win in the circle for Elon. The sophomore allowed two earned runs on six hits with a pair of strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
 
Game Two: Hofstra 12, Elon 9
The second game started strong in the Phoenix's favor. Elon loaded the bases with one out after Penny drew a free pass before scoring the first run of the game on another walk to Davis. Kaitlyn Wells followed with a two-RBI single to center field to add to Elon's lead before Hofstra made a pitching change. Hatzopoulos continued her hot bat from the first game as she drove in two more runs on a single to left, giving the Phoenix a 5-0 cushion after the top of the first.
 
Hofstra came back with a big inning of its own to take the lead in its home half of the first. After the first two batters reached on singles, a three-run home run by Meghan Giordano put the Pride on the scoreboard and cut sharply into Elon's lead. The Phoenix was able to induce the second out of the frame on a lineout to second, but Hofstra stayed alive to take the lead, 6-5, on an RBI single and a pair of Elon errors before the inning came to a close.
 
Hofstra added another run with two outs in the bottom of the second to add to its lead. Another error on the Phoenix helped the cause for the Pride, who took advantage with an RBI single by Alanna Morse to push its lead to 7-5.
 
Another two runs came across the dish for the Pride in the bottom of the fifth. Elon retired the first two batters, but Hofstra was able to stay alive to load the bases before a hit-by-pitch allowed another run to score. The Phoenix's fourth error of the game enabled another run to score and give Elon a 9-5 deficit.
 
Elon came back with a strong top of the sixth to pull itself back within a run. Hatzopoulos reached on a one-out single and advanced to second on a groundout. The Phoenix stayed alive as Grant was walked with her and Hatzopoulos advancing to scoring position on a stolen base. A fielding error on the next at bat allowed Hatzopoulos to score with Menscer reaching on the play. Seering drove in the second run of the inning on her single to first before Penny put ducks on the pond for Elon on a free pass with freshman Mary Moss Wirt taking her stance in the batter's box. Wirt worked a full count before she drew the third walk of the inning to add another run for the Phoenix to trim Elon's deficit to one, 9-8.
 
Hofstra responded with a three-run inning of its own in the home half of the sixth to push its lead to four, 12-8, going to the seventh. The Phoenix got a run back with Hatzopoulos connecting on a one-out solo home run in the top of the seventh, but Elon would not get any closer as the Pride took game two, 12-9, to avoid the sweep.
 
Hatzopoulos went a perfect 4-of-4 at the plate in game two, driving in three RBI with her team-best sixth homer of the season. Seering also tied Hatzopoulos with three base hits while Kaitlyn Wells had two RBI to her stat line.
 
Isley Duggins was credited with the loss for the Phoenix in the circle. The sophomore allowed four hits and four earned runs. Meredith Wells also gave up four earned runs on eight hits in 5.1 innings in relief.
 
On Deck
Both teams are back on the diamond tomorrow, April 22, for the rubber match. Opening pitch is set for 11 a.m.